# List of Cincinnati Bengals seasons

The Cincinnati Bengals franchise was founded in 1968 as a member of the West division of the American Football League (AFL). The Bengals joined the National Football League (NFL) as a result of the AFL–NFL merger before 1970. This list documents the franchise's completed seasons from 1968 to present, including postseason records and results from postseason games. The Bengals have played over 850 games in their history, including three conference championships, ten division championships, and fifteen playoff appearances. As of the end of the 2023 season, the only NFL teams who have more Super Bowl appearances with no titles than Cincinnati (which has 3 of them) are the 4-time Super Bowl non-winning Buffalo Bills and Minnesota Vikings.
The franchise has experienced several extended periods of success in their history. These periods came from 1981 to 1990 when the Bengals qualified for the playoffs four times and played in two Super Bowls, and from 2009 to 2015. However, during a fourteen-year span—1991 to 2004—the Bengals did not qualify for the playoffs. During this time, the franchise had nine seasons with ten or more losses, and three of those seasons the franchise had the league's worst record. Between 2005 and 2015, the Bengals were more successful, posting seven winning seasons, three division titles and seven wild card playoff berths (including a streak of five consecutive playoff seasons, a first in franchise history). Despite the success, the Bengals did not win a playoff game between 1990 and 2021, one of the longest droughts in league history. From 2016 to 2020, the Bengals suffered five straight losing seasons, including having the league's worst record in the 2019 season (finishing 2–14 that season), before winning the AFC North and qualifying for the playoffs again in 2021, which included an AFC Championship Game win and a berth in their first Super Bowl since the 1988 season.

## Seasons

* Final position in league, division or conference
* Super Bowl champions$^†$
* AFC champions$^*$
* Division champions$^^$
* Wild Card berth$^#$
| Season | Team | League | Conference | Division | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Postseason results | Awards | Head coaches |
| Season | Team | League | Conference | Division | Finish | W | L | T | Postseason results | Awards | Head coaches |
| 1968 | 1968 | AFL | | Western | 5th | 3 | 11 | 0 | | Paul Robinson (OROY) | Paul Brown |
| 1969 | 1969 | AFL | | Western | 5th | 4 | 9 | 1 | | Paul Brown (COY) Greg Cook (OROY) | Paul Brown |
| 1970 | 1970 | NFL | AFC | Central$^^$ | 1st$^^$ | 8 | 6 | 0 | Lost Divisional Playoffs (at Colts) 0–17 | Paul Brown (COY) | Paul Brown |
| 1971 | 1971 | NFL | AFC | Central | 4th | 4 | 10 | 0 | | | Paul Brown |
| 1972 | 1972 | NFL | AFC | Central | 3rd | 8 | 6 | 0 | | | Paul Brown |
| 1973 | 1973 | NFL | AFC | Central$^^$ | 1st$^^$ | 10 | 4 | 0 | Lost Divisional Playoffs (at Dolphins) 16–34 | | Paul Brown |
| 1974 | 1974 | NFL | AFC | Central | 2nd | 7 | 7 | 0 | | | Paul Brown |
| 1975 | 1975 | NFL | AFC | Central | 2nd$^#$ | 11 | 3 | 0 | Lost Divisional Playoffs (at Raiders) 28–31 | Ken Anderson (WPMOY) | Paul Brown |
| 1976 | 1976 | NFL | AFC | Central | 2nd | 10 | 4 | 0 | | | Bill Johnson |
| 1977 | 1977 | NFL | AFC | Central | 3rd | 8 | 6 | 0 | | | Bill Johnson |
| 1978 | 1978 | NFL | AFC | Central | 4th | 4 | 12 | 0 | | | Bill Johnson (0–5) Homer Rice (4–7) |
| 1979 | 1979 | NFL | AFC | Central | 4th | 4 | 12 | 0 | | | Homer Rice |
| 1980 | 1980 | NFL | AFC | Central | 4th | 6 | 10 | 0 | | | Forrest Gregg |
| 1981 | 1981 | NFL | AFC$^*$ | Central$^^$ | 1st$^^$ | 12 | 4 | 0 | Won Divisional Playoffs (Bills) 28–21 Won AFC Championship (Chargers) 27–7 Lost Super Bowl XVI (vs. 49ers) 21–26 | Ken Anderson (MVP, OPOY, CPOY) | Forrest Gregg |
| 1982 | 1982 | NFL | AFC | | 3rd$^#$ | 7 | 2 | 0 | Lost First Round Playoffs (Jets) 17–44 | | Forrest Gregg |
| 1983 | 1983 | NFL | AFC | Central | 3rd | 7 | 9 | 0 | | | Forrest Gregg |
| 1984 | 1984 | NFL | AFC | Central | 2nd | 8 | 8 | 0 | | Brian Pillman (EBCA) | Sam Wyche |
| 1985 | 1985 | NFL | AFC | Central | 2nd | 7 | 9 | 0 | | Eddie Brown (OROY) | Sam Wyche |
| 1986 | 1986 | NFL | AFC | Central | 2nd | 10 | 6 | 0 | | Reggie Williams (WPMOY) | Sam Wyche |
| 1987 | 1987 | NFL | AFC | Central | 4th | 4 | 11 | 0 | | | Sam Wyche |
| 1988 | 1988 | NFL | AFC$^*$ | Central$^^$ | 1st$^^$ | 12 | 4 | 0 | Won Divisional Playoffs (Seahawks) 21–13 Won AFC Championship (Bills) 21–10 Lost Super Bowl XXIII (vs. 49ers) 16–20 | Boomer Esiason (MVP) | Sam Wyche |
| 1989 | 1989 | NFL | AFC | Central | 4th | 8 | 8 | 0 | | | Sam Wyche |
| 1990 | 1990 | NFL | AFC | Central$^^$ | 1st$^^$ | 9 | 7 | 0 | Won Wild Card Playoffs (Oilers) 41–14 Lost Divisional Playoffs (at Raiders) 10–20 | | Sam Wyche |
| 1991 | 1991 | NFL | AFC | Central | 4th | 3 | 13 | 0 | | Anthony Muñoz (WPMOY) | Sam Wyche |
| 1992 | 1992 | NFL | AFC | Central | 4th | 5 | 11 | 0 | | Carl Pickens (OROY) | Dave Shula |
| 1993 | 1993 | NFL | AFC | Central | 4th | 3 | 13 | 0 | | | Dave Shula |
| 1994 | 1994 | NFL | AFC | Central | 3rd | 3 | 13 | 0 | | | Dave Shula |
| 1995 | 1995 | NFL | AFC | Central | 2nd | 7 | 9 | 0 | | | Dave Shula |
| 1996 | 1996 | NFL | AFC | Central | 3rd | 8 | 8 | 0 | | | Dave Shula (1–6) Bruce Coslet (7–2) |
| 1997 | 1997 | NFL | AFC | Central | 4th | 7 | 9 | 0 | | | Bruce Coslet |
| 1998 | 1998 | NFL | AFC | Central | 5th | 3 | 13 | 0 | | | Bruce Coslet |
| 1999 | 1999 | NFL | AFC | Central | 5th | 4 | 12 | 0 | | | Bruce Coslet |
| 2000 | 2000 | NFL | AFC | Central | 5th | 4 | 12 | 0 | | | Bruce Coslet (0–3) Dick LeBeau (4–9) |
| 2001 | 2001 | NFL | AFC | Central | 6th | 6 | 10 | 0 | | | Dick LeBeau |
| 2002 | 2002 | NFL | AFC | North | 4th | 2 | 14 | 0 | | | Dick LeBeau |
| 2003 | 2003 | NFL | AFC | North | 2nd | 8 | 8 | 0 | | Jon Kitna (CPOY) | Marvin Lewis |
| 2004 | 2004 | NFL | AFC | North | 3rd | 8 | 8 | 0 | | | Marvin Lewis |
| 2005 | 2005 | NFL | AFC | North$^^$ | 1st$^^$ | 11 | 5 | 0 | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Steelers) 17–31 | | Marvin Lewis |
| 2006 | 2006 | NFL | AFC | North | 2nd | 8 | 8 | 0 | | | Marvin Lewis |
| 2007 | 2007 | NFL | AFC | North | 3rd | 7 | 9 | 0 | | | Marvin Lewis |
| 2008 | 2008 | NFL | AFC | North | 3rd | 4 | 11 | 1 | | | Marvin Lewis |
| 2009 | 2009 | NFL | AFC | North$^^$ | 1st$^^$ | 10 | 6 | 0 | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Jets) 14–24 | Marvin Lewis (COY) | Marvin Lewis |
| 2010 | 2010 | NFL | AFC | North | 4th | 4 | 12 | 0 | | | Marvin Lewis |
| 2011 | 2011 | NFL | AFC | North | 3rd$^#$ | 9 | 7 | 0 | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Texans) 10–31 | | Marvin Lewis |
| 2012 | 2012 | NFL | AFC | North | 2nd$^#$ | 10 | 6 | 0 | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Texans) 13–19 | | Marvin Lewis |
| 2013 | 2013 | NFL | AFC | North$^^$ | 1st$^^$ | 11 | 5 | 0 | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Chargers) 10–27 | | Marvin Lewis |
| 2014 | 2014 | NFL | AFC | North | 2nd$^#$ | 10 | 5 | 1 | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Colts) 10–26 | | Marvin Lewis |
| 2015 | 2015 | NFL | AFC | North$^^$ | 1st$^^$ | 12 | 4 | 0 | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Steelers) 16–18 | | Marvin Lewis |
| 2016 | 2016 | NFL | AFC | North | 3rd | 6 | 9 | 1 | | | Marvin Lewis |
| 2017 | 2017 | NFL | AFC | North | 3rd | 7 | 9 | 0 | | | Marvin Lewis |
| 2018 | 2018 | NFL | AFC | North | 4th | 6 | 10 | 0 | | | Marvin Lewis |
| 2019 | 2019 | NFL | AFC | North | 4th | 2 | 14 | 0 | | | Zac Taylor |
| 2020 | 2020 | NFL | AFC | North | 4th | 4 | 11 | 1 | | | Zac Taylor |
| 2021 | 2021 | NFL | AFC$^*$ | North$^^$ | 1st$^^$ | 10 | 7 | 0 | Won Wild Card Playoffs (Raiders) 26−19 Won Divisional Playoffs (at Titans) 19–16 Won AFC Championship (at Chiefs) 27–24 (OT) Lost Super Bowl LVI (vs. Rams) 20–23 | Ja'Marr Chase (OROY) Joe Burrow (CPOY) | Zac Taylor |
| 2022 | 2022 | NFL | AFC | North$^^$ | 1st$^^$ | 12 | 4 | 0 | Won Wild Card Playoffs (Ravens) 24–17 Won Divisional Playoffs (at Bills) 27–10 Lost AFC Championship (at Chiefs) 20–23 | | Zac Taylor |
| 2023 | 2023 | NFL | AFC | North | 4th | 9 | 8 | 0 | | | Zac Taylor |
| 2024 | 2024 | NFL | AFC | North | 3rd | 9 | 8 | 0 | | Joe Burrow (CPOY) | Zac Taylor |
| Totals | Totals | Totals | Totals | Totals | Totals | 403 | 479 | 5 | All-time regular season record (1968–2024) | All-time regular season record (1968–2024) | All-time regular season record (1968–2024) |
| Totals | Totals | Totals | Totals | Totals | Totals | 10 | 16 | — | All-time postseason record (1968–2024) | All-time postseason record (1968–2024) | All-time postseason record (1968–2024) |
| Totals | Totals | Totals | Totals | Totals | Totals | 413 | 495 | 5 | All-time regular season and postseason record (1968–2024) | All-time regular season and postseason record (1968–2024) | All-time regular season and postseason record (1968–2024) |
| 3 AFC Conference Championships, 11 Division titles ||||||

## Footnotes

* $^a$ The 1982 season was a strike-shortened season so the league was divided up into two conferences instead of its normal divisional alignment.
* $^b$ The strike of 1987 reduced the regular season schedule from 16 to 15 games.